A Walking Impossibility
by I-Live-Outside-The-Box
Summary: The daughter of Kronos meets someone who actually seems to understand her; and like her. Luke immediately sweeps her off her feet, but she doesn't let it show. Then all of that gets turned upside down whenever she is reunited with Carter Kane. Rated T for some language and future chapters
1. Zoe

Chapter One

The story made the morning papers. It was probably one of the most exciting stories to hit Evansville since the murder of their mayor, Russell G. Lloyd, in 1980. It's not every day that an abandoned building blows up and only one survivor is found. Not only that, but the survivor is a five year old girl. Not much is known about the child except that all she remembers about her life is her name. Zoe. No last name, just Zoe. And no parents. As soon as she is finished recovering from her mysteriously few injuries she will be put up for adoption. At least, that's what the newspapers say. And they don't say much.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

That was all Dr. Jay needed to see. He didn't even have to read the story because he knew this girl was his. That this girl was what he had been praying for. He knew, that with her help, he could fix everything. But first, he had to go consult with his mentor. There is no room for mistakes now. The fate of millions could depend on it.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

**No Memories, No Parents, Just Her Name**

_In the early hours of the morning the old building on St. Joe Road mysteriously exploded. Nobody knows the cause, only that nobody was killed. Only one person was found at the scene, relatively unharmed, but strangely alone. A young girl who calls herself 'Zoe' says she remembers nothing about her life before her awakening, just that she is happy to be alive. A search for the child's parents began immediately but still no luck. The little Zoe even said, "Don't bother. Nobody wants me." We all send our prayers to this girl. After she is released from the hospital she will be put up for adoption. We hope she finds a home for the holidays. Good luck Zoe._

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Dad, where are we going on our next trip?" asked Zoe, holding onto her adopted father's hand, struggling to keep up with him. She didn't sound bored or annoyed, but excited. She couldn't wait for a new adventure in a new country. She wanted to see it all.

"It's a surprise. But I promise you that you're going to love it there. And you're going to love the people we'll be traveling with." Dr. Jay Roberts smiled down at his daughter, the love of his life. Ever since he had adopted her his life had been filled with laughter, games, jokes, and headaches. He loved every moment of it.

Jay stopped walking to pick up his daughter. "So, we're going on a history tour with one of your college friends?" she asked. Zoe wasn't a normal 9-year-old. Besides her small size, she was unusually intelligent for somebody her age. She could sing, play piano and guitar, and tell you what happened in history given any day in time. It was a bit unnerving at times and definitely not something one could get used to quickly.

"Of course! And this time you'll have somebody your age along too. We're traveling with a man named Dr. Julius Kane and he has a son your age. If I remember correctly, his name's Carter." Jay had been trying to schedule a traveling date with Julius ever since he adopted Zoe last year. Zoe needed somebody her age to play with, or at least talk to, and Julius was the only person he knew who had a kid her age. They were thinking about scheduling a "play date" of sorts a few years ago, but Ruby, Julius's wife had suddenly died and Julius lost possession of his youngest daughter, Sadie. Now he was traveling the world with his son Carter, just like what Jay was doing with Zoe

"But you know nobody likes me. Who says he's different?" An important thing to mention about Zoe is that she's a loner. She doesn't trust people easily and likes to be by herself. Jay remembered the first two months he had Zoe. She didn't trust him for the longest time. Jay could feel his plan for the world crumbling. He didn't know what to do, until one night, he was given the answer. "_Teach the child,_" the voice had said. "_She thirsts for knowledge. She has a mind like no other in this world. Use that to your advantage." _So Jay taught Zoe, taught her everything he knew. She learned math, science, history, music, and loved it all. Jay, being the teacher he was, saw so much potential in this child. It was more than his plan for the world, but it was a plan for her future. A child like this cannot hide long; her talents need to be shown to the world.

Whenever he heard her sing and play the piano or guitar, his soul seemed to become one with the world. He suddenly felt at peace with himself, like all chaos within him had calmed. He couldn't help but think, "_Chaos into Order._" Whenever she talked about history, he could see the passion in her eyes, and he knew she loved it. She loved knowing what had happened in the world before her.

"Who says he's different? I do. I promise you that you'll love this trip and the people that are on it." Zoe laid her head on Jay's shoulder and didn't answer. Jay kept walking and held her close. He wasn't going to let go of her. It was more than just the thought of his plan failing that made him hold her tight, but the thought of losing her. She was the joy and love in his life, the first in years, and he didn't want to lose it. "I love you, Zoe," he whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

A few more minutes of walking and Jay finally reached his destination. Just in case something did go wrong, he wanted to insure his daughter's safety. This was one of the safest places he knew. She just couldn't be awake whenever he arranged her stay. He was keeping his fingers crossed that the serum wouldn't wear off before he was finished.

"_She is the key to a prosperous future. You will be in charge of raising her. She can't know where she comes from, who she's meant to be. Not for many years. She is they Key. She is the Key._

_She is the Key."_

* * *

**Introduction to my newest story. Tell me what you think. Should I continue? I promise the crossover stuff will be coming in soon. And the exciting stuff. I just had to get the important stuff out of the way. Review please?**


	2. The Voice

Chapter 2

_Zoe wasn't afraid of the dark. She was afraid of what she would find in it. Ever since she could remember, she had been hearing a voice whenever she was surrounded by the night's cloak. The voice had terrified her. She had heard of the fingernails down a chalkboard, but that seemed too mild for the Voice. More like knives scraping against metal._

_ She didn't know anything about the Voice, not even a name. So, in her mind, it became the Voice. The Voice of all nightmares and all things evil in the world. She was terrified._

_ It would talk to her, the Voice. Tell her stories that had been lost to time, stories that were so unreal and so captivating at the same time. But these stories weren't your average, everyday bedtime stories. These were filled with murder, tragedy, and chaos._

_ These were the stories that filled her dreams. As soon as she closed her eyes, the Voice would fill her head with horrors that would scare the bravest men. She never had good dreams; only nightmares. She couldn't escape them._

_ But, one night, on her eighth birthday, the Voice was cut off. Silence filled Zoe's mind and it was beautiful. She was finally in control of her own thoughts. She could finally sleep in peace._

_ She started to dream. Her imagination soared and thrived, sending her places that she could never see while she was awake. But it didn't last forever. The Voice came back._

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Zoe woke up with a scream. She was still screaming whenever she felt the bed beneath her move and two arms hold her. "Shhh, shhh, it's alright. It's fine. You're ok now. You're awake," said a voice. It was so much more gentle than the Voice. "I've got you."

Her scream turned into a sob, a heart wrenching, horrible sob. Jay could feel his heart break in two. No child should sound like this. Especially not his daughter.

Jay wanted to take away her pain, but he knew he couldn't. She was becoming stronger and as much as it killed him, he couldn't do anything about it. Instead, he held her close, whispering softly and stroking her hair. This was the routine almost every night, at least, until she calmed down. It usually only took Zoe a few minutes to pull her self together, but tonight was a different story. The Voice must have said something horrible for her to react like this.

Finally, after a lot of tears, she stopped crying. Jay didn't let her go. He could still feel her tiny frame shaking with fear. Jay looked at the clock, 4:37 a.m. Only one thing to do.

"Hey munchkin. How about we take a little trip to Donut Bank?" This had become standard procedure for early morning breakdowns. Scream. Sob. Calm down. Eat freshly baked donuts. Go back to sleep.

Zoe looked up at her dad and smiled. Her nose was red and her golden eyes were puffy from crying. "Can I get a Long John?" She sounded tired, but who wouldn't at this hour? "They're my favorite."

"Course you can, munchkin. Let's get dressed. I bet I can beat you."

"Nu-uh!" Zoe jumped off the bed and started digging around in the suitcase for her clothes. Let the race to get dressed begin. Jay couldn't help but smile.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

5:10 a.m. and Jay and Zoe were waiting in line for their donuts. Zoe was definitely the youngest in the bakery by far. Donut Bank was mostly filled with men in suits waiting for their early morning coffee.

Zoe was in the middle of telling Jay the story of Thomas Crapper when he felt somebody clap him on the back. "I haven't seen you in years! You look shorter!" Jay turned around and came face to face with one of his oldest friends, Julius Kane.

"Hey Julius! You're in Evansville early. I wasn't planning on seeing you until Wednesday!"

"Well, my lecture in Dublin got canceled so I decided to surprise you. Now where's this new daughter of yours that I've been hearing so much about?"

Jay could feel Zoe hide behind him and hold onto his coat. He looked at Julius and he seemed to understand. Zoe's not the most social person you'll ever meet.

"My name's Zoe. Are you Dad's college friend?" Zoe said quietly. Her response surprised Jay. That was probably the most she had ever said to a stranger. Not only that, but she was starting a conversation. _"She is getting stronger and braver,"_ thought Jay.

Julius kneel to be eye to eye with Zoe. "I am. He talks about you a lot." Julius winked at her. "Don't worry. He hasn't said anything bad yet." Julius looked like he was going to say something else, but got interrupted by a woman working at the counter.

"Sir? Are you ready to order?" The employee was basically saying, "If you're here to talk, don't hold up the line."

Jay apologized and he took a hold of Zoe's hand. "Um, yes, could we have two Long Johns, a house blend coffee, and a hot chocolate? You want a hot chocolate, right Zoe?"

"Yes!"

The employee was getting the Long Johns from their rack and said, "What size for the drinks, sir?"

"Um, a medium coffee and a small hot chocolate, please."

"Here or to go?"

Jay looked at Julius. "You want to eat with us? We've got no other plans."

"Yeah, that's fine. And then I can introduce Zoe to Carter."

That made Jay smile. Unexpected surprises like this can always help a plan move along. "Perfect." To the cashier he said, "For here, please."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

A few donuts later, Julius, Jay, Carter, and Zoe were all sitting at a table in the crowded Donut Bank. The adults were having their own conversation while the kids were sitting in an uncomfortable silence.

Julius and Jay were in what seemed to be an argument in whispers. "Jay, what makes you sure that you won't mess up. There are so many things that could go wrong with this plan!"

Julius was starting to aggravate Jay. He had already explained the plan to him. It was foolproof. "Listen Julius, I've thought everything through. I've set up cushions for us to fall back on if something does go wrong! And nothing will! Why can't you see that?"

"What I don't see is-"

Jay cut him off. "What you don't see is that I gave up my whole life for this! I gave up power to protect her! I left the House to protect her! I broke all of the rules to protect her! Everything I've done was for her!"

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Carter really wanted to break the silence. It's not everyday that he gets to meet somebody his age. "So... I wonder what they're talking about." Stupid way to start a conversation. What was wrong with him?

"Who knows. It has to be important for them to argue about it though." Zoe didn't look up, but at least she responded. That was a good start.

"Yeah..." Another few minutes of awkward silence. "Is he not your real dad?" Carter blurted out. After he said it he wanted to slap himself. _"I blew it."_

Zoe looked up quickly. "He is my real dad. Don't you dare ever say otherwise." She glared at Carter, but then did something that surprised him. She smiled. "But biologically speaking, no. He's not my real dad."

Carter could feel himself relax. He didn't blow it after all.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_"She will have many struggles ahead of her. There will be betrayal and pain in her future. This is necessary for her to succeed. Just remember, "She is the Key."_

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**Ok, so I was thinking about getting another cover image for this story. The one I have now is just temporary. Maybe email, PM, or leave a review for ideas? And I would be much obliged if you left a review. They make me want to continue writing! Thanks!**


	3. The Body

Chapter 3

Carter couldn't stop thinking about the girl he met in Evansville. It didn't make it any better that he would probably never see her again. After Zoe and her dad left, the reason still unknown to Carter, his dad had been acting weird. Carter could tell that he was lying. Or, at least not telling the whole truth.

Jay, if Carter remembered his name correctly, had gotten into an argument with his dad. That argument ended with Jay saying, "Then your kingdom will fall, just as it did years ago." He then grabbed Zoe by the arm and walked out of the bakery. The chances of seeing Zoe again were very slim. No, they were impossible.

Carter sighed. Maybe he was forever doomed to be alone. It would make since, the way his life was going.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

On the way to Athens, Zoe had plenty of time to think. With over 5,600 miles to fly, there was time for contemplation of the world and its problems, or her world and _its _problems.

For the first time ever, Zoe had met somebody that was her age. Carter was his name, and they talked for a while. At least, they talked until Jay had yanked Zoe from her chair and left Donut Bank. There was no warning and no time to say 'goodbye.' They just left. So, because of this, Zoe decided to push Carter from her mind. She didn't want another person haunting her dreams.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Julius couldn't believe how stupid Jay was being. He couldn't even be called ignorant. To be ignorant, one has to have the ability to learn. Pure, blind, insanity and grief had destroyed all of Jay's reasoning and logic. He was now a walking sociopath with a child of unmeasurable power. Wonderful.

Julius had thought that he could reason with Jay, make him see the truth. Sadly, though, that proved to be impossible. Jay could very well be the death of them all. That's why Julius had to intervene. He was going to do something that he would have never even considered an option yesterday. But, as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. And this was a desperate time indeed.

Julius felt a buzzing and after a few moments of confusion, he realized that it was his phone. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and saw who was calling him. Grudgingly, he answered the call, bracing himself for a continuation of the argument earlier this morning. But, after listening to what the speaker was saying, Julius could feel the blood drain from his face. _No. _This definitely changes things. And there was nothing Julius could do.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Jay kept looking over at his sleeping daughter. He half-expected her to wake up screaming just like she did hours earlier. He was on edge, and he didn't know why.

Jay just decided that it was from the argument with Julius this morning. Never had he had an argument like that with his lifelong friend. He felt a dull ache in his heart, knowing that as soon as he left the table, he broke off any relationship he had with Julius. He kept trying to tell himself that it was necessary. That there has to be sacrifices. That this had to be one of them.

_"Don't dwell on the past," _the Voice whispered. _"We are looking towards the future."_

_"Please forgive me,"_ Jay thought. _"I will release my emotions. I will cleanse my soul."_

The Voice laughed. A dark, evil laugh that made Jay's ears ring and his head throb. _"You will not have time for that. You will be joining me in hell."_

Jay didn't even have time to process what he had just heard. His vision started to swirl, mixing the few colors that he could see into a blob of gray. The blob then turned into his Master. The Body of the Voice. The man was dressed in tattered robes that looked thousands of years old. He was carrying a scythe and his golden eyes radiated a coldness that could only be found in one place. The Body's final resting place. _Tartarus._

Jay felt the scythe, but didn't see it. He was too busy looking at his daughter, at his last hope. Then his soul withered away and Jay Roberts was no more.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_"I am strong, but not strong enough."_ Kronos knew this was true, but he knew he was close to regaining what he lost all those years ago. _"One more body to control, and I will once again be all-powerful."_ He glanced at the still sleeping Zoe. He knew she would be a threat in years to come, but there was nothing he could do about that now. But what he could do, and this made him smile, he could break her in two. He was determined to break her, and he knew that the death of her beloved father would start a fissure in her soul. He just had to get to the other person that would be entrusted with her heart. They just need to meet. _"He is on the move, I can feel it." _Kronos stayed just long enough to see his daughter wake up and see Jay unconscious. The last sound he heard before he descended back into Tartarus was a scream. He couldn't help but smile. This was his favorite sound.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Zoe woke up from her nap on edge. She felt a presence that she couldn't explain. She turned her head to ask her dad if he could feel it too. She knew that he would understand. He always does.

She never even got to ask. She saw his lifeless body and knew he was dead. There was no mistaking it. But she didn't have to believe it. All Zoe remembered was a scream. It seemed like years before she realized it was her own. But there would be no more Jay to comfort her. Not anymore. Not ever again.

She was alone.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Luke Castellan was ready to move on. He was tired of his life. He was leaving. For good.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_"She can be our destruction or she can be our salvation. She will be stuck between two different worlds. We can only hope she chooses wisely."_

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**Just as a heads up; I'm changing a few ages of characters and small details here and there. Now, please review! How about at least three before the next update? Much appreciated!**


	4. Party Ponies

Chapter 4

_Maybe this was a big mistake, _Zoe couldn't help but think. She had run away from yet another abusive foster family. She had been promised a good, caring, fully-functioning family after Jay's death, but she was still waiting for them. _Jay. Why did you have to go?_

Zoe stopped where she was, and she didn't know where that was, and started to cry. She never cried those heart-wrenching sobs like she used to. They made her feel weak. And she was done being weak. She was going to take her life in her own hands. But now, she was wondering if she was ready.

_Stop it._ She had to keep telling herself this. _Be strong. _She forced herself to stop crying, but allowed her body rest. She didn't know how long she had been walking, but she didn't care. She just had to get as far away from that place as possible. Three years of abusive and mistreatment was enough. She was ready for a change, a change for the better.

She must have fallen asleep because when Zoe woke up, she was laying in a sort of tent. Except the tent was tie dye and smelled kind of funny. She tried to sit up but a sharp pain in her head forced her to lay back down. Zoe could feel herself drifting off again. Before she was completely out, though, she heard voices and saw something enter her tent. She just didn't know what.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

It was dark where she was, and yet, Zoe wasn't afraid.

"You've come a long way, my dear."

Zoe couldn't help but jump. The voice she had heard was soft and kind, not at all like the Voice that had been haunting her dreams since she was a child.

"I'm so proud of you." A candle started to shine in the darkness and there was a shape. Zoe's eyes adjusted and she could see that it was a woman. Tall and stately, this woman seemed familiar to Zoe. She had long black hair and deep brown eyes. A simple white dress and a headband was all she wore, and she looked beautiful in it. Tucked in her headband was a feather that seemed to radiated power. Zoe knew that she had encountered a goddess.

"Proud of me? For what? And I don't even know you!" Looking back on this, Zoe knew she could have handled things better, but this wasn't your normal, everyday meeting with a stranger.

A sadness reflected in the woman's eyes. "So you truly remember nothing before the accident?"

"Of course not! Traumatic brain inj-" Zoe stopped short. "How do you know about the accident? What else do you know about me?"

Strangely, this earned a laugh from the woman. "I know more than you would think, my child." The woman paused. She seemed to be weighing her words. "Your name is Zoe. You've run away from your sixth foster home and right now you are unconscious in a tent most likely owned by hippies. Yes?"

"Yes, but that proves nothing. If you know so much, tell me where I am and who _you _are."

"If only I could, Zoe. But that's a part of your journey. Not everything in life will be handed to you," replied the woman with a sigh. She then looked around, like she was checking that they were alone. "But I can tell you this. I will watch over you and protect you as best I can. You're life is about to change."

"Thanks, but that didn't-"

"Goodbye Zoe. Our next meeting will be longer, I promise. I love you." The strange woman blew out the candle. Zoe was now awake.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Dude, this girl's like, not dead!" What a lovely thing to wake up to. Breath that smelled like root beer and some surfer-sounding dude. Zoe was going to regret opening her eyes.

"She's not? Man, you're tough, kid." She had to be dreaming. There was no way that she was in a tent with...these.

"Or we're just awesome enough to keep a demigod alive! Head slam!" Oh my god, what was she seeing? She had to be hallucinating. That makes sense, since her head was still throbbing. More brain injury. She was hallucinating. She had to be because centaurs aren't exactly real. Right? And she didn't think anything could survive a head slam that violent. Zoe decided to make the best of the situation.

"What do your shirts say? Party Ponies?" she asked. The "Party Ponies" didn't seem to hear her but she was positive now that she was in a hippie tent with a bunch of centaurs wearing t-shirts that said 'Party Ponies'. Perfectly normal when you're hallucinating.

"Hey, wait! Weren't we supposed to get Chiron once she woke up?"

"No need to. I'm already here." Another centaur walked into the tent. (Zoe didn't know how they all were managing to fit in the tent.) "Now if you would, please, leave us alone for a moment?"

"Hey, no problemo Chiron! We were just getting ready to start a Nerf gun war! Come on Bronies!" The four other centaurs in the tent shoved through the flap all at once. Zoe could hear the mini-stampede thunder off to start their Nerf gun war.

Chiron, or at least that's what Zoe believed his name was, sighed. "Forgive them. They don't call themselves the Party Ponies for nothing." He smiled at her and said, "And forgive me for not introducing myself properly. I am Chiron, the activities director at Camp Half-Blood."

Zoe just looked at him before replying, "You know, that doesn't help me at all. The activities director at what exactly?"

"Tell me, Zoe, do you know anything about your parents? Not Jay, but your true parents."

Zoe could feel her heart break in two at the mentions at Jay's name. How could he know? How could everybody know while she knew nothing? "Nothing. At all."

Chiron walked, or trotted over (whatever) and sat down across from where Zoe was laying. "Well, I can tell you now that one of your parents wasn't mortal."

"That's like saying one of my fingers is actually a toe."

Chiron smiled, but didn't seem aggravated like Zoe had expected. She was going to have to try harder to phase him. Most adults that Zoe had met were nothing like Chiron. She never trusted them and wasn't ready to trust Chiron yet, either. "Have you ever heard of Greek Mythology, Zoe?"

It was when Chiron said that that memories flooded Zoe's mind. They weren't full memories, but they were enough to see that there was truth to what he was saying. "You mean, you're... Oh my god." Zoe was trying not to hyperventilate. She could hear the Voice in her lost memories. She could see a pair of golden eyes, not too unlike her own, staring down at her. She could feel the cold coming from the darkness of the pit. She was there.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"_She has discovered her past. She is the Key to my Prison. And there is nothing you can do, Chiron. Nothing."_

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**So? How are you guys liking it? Suspense? Surprise? Shock? Some other (good) word that start with an S? Review?**


	5. Worse Than Hell

Chapter 5

The darkness immediately enveloped Zoe, encasing her in yet another dark, cold place. Unlike the meeting with the strange woman, Zoe was terrified. She was terrified to see the Voice. Things were bad enough to hear the words of evil, but to see who owns that voice would be unimaginable. And, to make things worse than they already were (and they were pretty bad), Zoe knew where she was. She was past hell, past the reaches of all light and hope, past the reaches of the gods.

Legend says that an anvil thrown from heaven would take nine days to reach this place. People think that the Underworld is deep. Well, she was under the Underworld. She was in Tartarus.

_"You reached the conclusion quickly. Welcome back." _The Voice echoed throughout the darkness, filling the cell that Zoe knew she was in. _"One does not simply forget they're place of birth. Or death."_

Suddenly, Zoe was gripped by an ancient and evil power. It was destroying everything that made her who she was, unraveling her. Terror was welling up inside Zoe, making her incapable of thought or speech. She was a mindless puppet under the power of a ruthless puppet-master. She could feel her limbs being crushed and her eyes closing. She had read of heroic deaths and this would not be one of them.

Just when she knew that it was the end, the power released her. Zoe collapsed and started hacking. Her insides felt like they were burning and she began shaking violently. She thought for sure that she was going to die. The Voice hissed, _"Child, you really aren't thinking that I was going to kill you? No, I need you for something bigger. Not even Jay's death could provide me enough power for my return."_

Zoe's fear turned to anger as she realized that she was talking to Jay's murderer. Strength returned to her limbs and she could feel power coursing through her veins. "You killed him? You're the one who is responsible? You killed my dad!"

A light appeared just in front of Zoe and a man stepped into it. It was Jay. And yet, it wasn't. The Jay she knew did not have golden eyes or carry a scimitar. And he certainly did not speak with the Voice. "Now Zoe," the not-Jay said with mock surprise, "You and I know for a fact that Jay wasn't your dad. It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out."

It made Zoe sick to see the Voice emanating from Jay's lips. "Whoever you are, you disgust me. You have to be sick to do the things you've done! You're sick!"

Not-Jay's face twisted into a smile. "You know nothing of what I've done. The accident made sure of that. You can stop pretending now, Zoe. Stop acting like a child."

Now it was Zoe's turn to smile. She was acting, acting like she remembered everything. Instead, she was just regurgitating information that she had learned in school a few weeks ago in mythology class. She just hoped that Kronos didn't know that. "But I do know what you've done. And I know who you are. I know you're name. If I remember correctly, names hold power, yes? Especially secret names, but that's mostly for Egyptian magic. I know more than you think, Kronos. And it's your fault for reminding me." There was a flicker of something in Kronos's eyes. Zoe hoped it was fear.

"You think you know everything, don't you?" Kronos sneered. "I can see into your mind and I know that you still do not know who you are, who your parents are, your past, or how you even got to Tartarus! Well, let me just fill you in a bit! You are looking at your father! I am your father!"

Zoe could feel herself stumble backwards. Reality hit her like a ton of bricks. But she refused to face it. "You're, you're lying. You have to be. This is impossible. No. No, you can't be!"

"Why would I lie about something like that? It's not like I wanted a daughter as stupid and weak as you. Now, go back to Chiron and tell him that I said hello."

The darkness finally released it's grip on Zoe, and she was back in the tent with Chiron.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

It was almost immediately after Chiron had asked the child if she had heard of Greek Mythology that her eyes slid back in her head. Before he could even react, though, Zoe sat straight up and looked at him. Her eyes reflected her fear. She had seen her dad, and she was scared to death.

"So... um, yeah. You never answered my question. The activities director at what?" Her voice was shaky, and she was trying her best to conceal the fact that she was scared to death. Chiron felt it best to pretend he didn't notice her fear.

"Camp Half-Blood. It's where kids that have a Greek god as a parent can live safely."

He could tell that Zoe was choosing her words carefully. "And I'm guessing these kids are called half-bloods, right? It's a camp for half-bloods."

"In it's simplest form, yes."

"Well, what is it in it's most complex form, then?"

This was going to be hard to explain to somebody with no prior knowledge of the camp. "It can serve as a fort during battle, a safe-house for refugees, a prison, an armory, a strawberry patch. The list goes on."

Zoe nodded in response. She was staring outside, watching the other centaurs fire Nerf guns at each other. Suddenly she said, "Do you take everybody? People descended to all sorts of Greek deities?"

Chiron smiled. "We accept anybody who wants to come. You wouldn't happen to come now would you?"

"Maybe." Zoe looked at him, fixing her golden eyes onto his. "That is, if you want me to come."

Chiron's smile grew bigger. "We would love to have you. But first, you have to heal from that head injury of yours. No more hitting you're head on rocks while you're running away from home."

Zoe knew Chiron was lying about the cause of her injury but didn't press him. You don't want to press somebody who is offering you a new chance. Maybe even a new home. Instead, she just smiled back.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_"I will have the child. She will come to me willingly to save the ones she loves. She has her mother's heart. Her stupid mother. Ma'at._

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**Merry Christmas my fellow readers! I think, as a present, you should give me a review. I know this chapter was fairly short, but I've been a bit busy, but I'll be holed up at home all day tomorrow with nothing to do. Now, please tell me your thoughts, criticisms, praise, and ideas in a review! Thanks!**


	6. The Girl Who Fell on Luke Castellan

Chapter 6

It was raining hard on Luke Castellan. He didn't notice the thundering or how it was getting colder by the second. At least, he tried not to notice it.

He was so busy not noticing whenever something fell from above and fell on him. "Hey, get off me!" He pushed whatever it was off of him and stood up, holding his golf club like a baseball bat. "What are you?"

The thing that fell on him stood up and walked towards him. As it got closer, he saw that it was not an it, but a _girl_. And she looked about his age. "What am I? Are you stupid? I'm a human. Now who are you?" She had a bit of an accent. He couldn't pinpoint an exact location. It sounded like a mix from everywhere. Like she had spent some time in a country, picked up a bit of the accent there, and then moved on.

Luke didn't lower his golf club but answered, "Name's Luke. What are you doing falling on people?" He was extremely confused and it didn't help that he couldn't see a lot of the girl. He liked to see what he was facing.

"Oh, like I know! One second, I was in a tent, resting, and the next, I was falling on some idiot with a golf club! You can tell _me_ why I'm falling on people!" Luke had to hand it to her, the girl was feisty. She looked kind of like him too, like she had been traveling on her own for weeks on end. Maybe she was like him.

"What's your name?" Luke questioned.

"Like I'm going to tell some stranger-"

"What's your name? Or do you want to get hit with a golf club?" He wasn't really going to hit her, but maybe he could figure out who she was. And maybe they could team up.

"You're such a gentleman, Luke. Threatening to hit a girl with a golf club just to find out her name? You must be desperate." Luke could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. "If you're dying to know, the name's Zoe. Now please excuse me while I try and get back to where I was."

Zoe looked up but didn't go anywhere. "That's impossible. They promised I was completely safe," she whispered.

Luke couldn't help but ask, "Who promised?"

Zoe gave him a sharp look. For the first time he could see her eyes. They were pure gold and they seemed to be staring into his soul. It was unnerving and yet beautiful at the same time. He felt something flutter in his chest, but it was small and unfamiliar. It stopped whenever she took her eyes off of him. Staring into the storm clouds Zoe answered, "A friend of mine. He was promising me a home. A home for, for people like me."

Luke couldn't stand it any longer. "You mean, demigods?"

"Yes. Are you one too?" Zoe's voice showed no emotion, no surprise at him mentioning the word 'demigods.' She didn't even look at him.

"Yeah." Luke realized that he was still holding up his golf club. He quickly lowered it, embarrassed. "I'm a son of Hermes. You?"

Even in the rain, Luke could see the pain in Zoe's eyes. Her voice cracked a bit when she answered. "I'd rather not say." After a few moments of an awkward silence, she continued, "But I will say that I hate the rain. Let's find somewhere dry to sleep."

Then, she just walked off, not looking over her shoulder to see if Luke was following. He ran to catch up with this mysterious girl he just met. The girl who called herself Zoe.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Well, good news Zoe. The rain has moved on and we can make our way to Camp Half-Blood safely." Chiron walked into the tent and stopped, realizing he was talking to some blankets and a pillow. Where Zoe had just been a few minutes before was empty. Zoe was gone and Chiron knew who was to blame. Kronos was playing a very dirty game. And to make matters worse, Chiron could tell that Zoe was being concealed from him. She was lost once again. Just like before the accident.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Luke and Zoe were sitting inside an abandoned shack in the middle of nowhere. A fire was burning between them, drying their clothes and providing warmth.

It was in this firelight that Luke could finally see what Zoe looked like. She had dark hair that was pulled back in a high ponytail. Her golden eyes were alert and watchful and her eyebrows were scrunched together like she was concentrating. She was fairly tan and had a small splay of freckles across her nose. She was very pretty, but Luke was trying not to notice.

Suddenly Zoe looked at him and Luke jumped. Then he could feel his face start to grow hot again because he realized that he had been caught staring. Zoe seemed to be studying him, sizing him up. It was yet another unnerving silence that was again broken by Zoe.

"You said you're a son of Hermes?"

"Yeah. But I feel more like an orphan. He never talks to me or anything. Actually, I've never seen him before." He didn't know why he was telling her this, but he felt relieved to finally tell somebody that might actually understand him.

Zoe's voice was soft when she said, "It must be nice, not ever meeting you dad. But your dad's Hermes! He's one of the good guys!"

Luke snorted. "He left me with my insane mother. He didn't even bother meeting his own son! The only time I've ever seen him was in a picture that my mom has. To me, that doesn't sound like a good guy."

"I guess not. If you don't mind me asking, what about this insane mother of yours. A mom can't be that bad, can she?"

"She is. She'll have these fits. She'll start ranting and her eyes will glow this green color. You have to hide from her when she does it, or she'll grab you by the shoulders and start shaking you. Eventually I had enough of it and ran away." It hurt Luke to tell this story, but he felt like trusting Zoe with it.

Zoe was quiet for a few seconds before she said, "You just ran away? You had a mom and a house and you just left it?" She seemed truly shocked, like having an insane mother was better than having none. "How old were you?"

"Nine. I'm twelve now."

"So am I. I just turned twelve."

They sat in another silence, more comfortable than the others. "My turn to ask the questions," Luke said. "I told you about my parents, and now it's your turn to tell me about yours."

Zoe shook her head. "No, no that's not a good idea. I only just found out a few days ago myself."

"Well that's not fair! You know more about me than I do about you! And, you owe me."

"I owe you?"

"Yeah, you fell on top of me! And you didn't even say sorry."

"Well sorry Luke, but I'm not telling you!"

She was stubborn, but Luke was determined to find out. "Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yeah. You are."

"Am not."

"Are too."

Am not."

Luke faked a sigh. "Do I have to bring out the golf club again?"

Zoe locked eyes with him. "You really want to know? Well I'll tell you. Kronos."

Luke wasn't sure he had heard Zoe right. "Wait, what?"

"You heard me, my dad's Kronos. Now excuse me while I leave before you kick me out." Zoe stood up and grabbed her jacket off a small wooden chair. Luke hopped up too and grabbed her arm.

"No, it's fine. I don't care who your parents are. It's not like we get to choose them."

Zoe looked at him quizzically. "So you don't care that my dad is probably one of the most hated and evil Titan in all of Greek mythology? It doesn't bother you at all?"

"Not really. Like I said, we don't have the luxury of picking our parents. And besides, you seem perfectly fine. I'm not going to judge somebody by who their parents are. If it worked like that, people would think I was a lock-picking thief."

Zoe looked amazed that somebody actually liked her. Luke got a feeling that that didn't happen often. "So, then you won't mind if I hang around for a while?"

Luke let go of Zoe's arm and smiled. "Not at all. Partner?" He held out his hand, hoping that she would accept.

She just stared at his outstretched hand for a while. Luke was starting to think that she wasn't going to say yes until she grabbed a hold of his hand and said, "Partners."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_They have met. My plan is in motion._

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**Just a head's up. Luke, Zoe, Thalia, and Carter are all the same age and Sadie, Percy, and Annabeth are the same age. I know it's different in the books, but hey, this is FanFiction! Now please, don't forget to review. They are greatly appreciated.**


	7. Absolutely Nothing

Chapter 7

"So the moral of the story is to not drop your sword in a pit of acid?" Zoe couldn't help but laugh at Luke's story of how he lost his sword.

"I told you! I didn't drop it! It just sort of, slipped." Luke was trying hard to defend himself, but he wasn't doing a very good job.

"Sure, ok. It _slipped_."

"It sort of slipped."

"Got it. Sort of slipped. Because anything can sort of slip and just happen to fall in acid. Yeah, perfectly normal..." Zoe's voice faded off. She walked ahead a few more steps."But that's not, now is it?"

Luke walked up next to Zoe and stared hard where she was looking. "I don't see anything. At all."

Zoe looked at him. " And that's unusual, isn't it? Absolutely nothing? Well, besides a few roads and parking lots there's nothing. No houses, no shops, no street signs. Nothing." She looked around. "I think that qualifies as unusual, yes?"

"I hate it when you do that."

Zoe squinted her eyes, but didn't look at Luke. "Do what?"

"Nothing." Luke didn't know how to explain it, but it was weird at just how accurate Zoe could be at times, and just how fast she could find something out of the ordinary.

"I would apologize, but I've done nothing wrong and I really don't want to. Besides, we've got bigger problems. Look." Zoe pointed across the street. At first, Luke didn't see anything, but the more he stared in that direction, the more he saw... something. He just didn't know what that something was.

"What is that? A sign?"

"Yep. A big green sign. And look at the language it's in."

Luke had to squint to see it. "Is that, Greek?"

"Ancient Greek, actually. But yeah, it's definitely not in English. And we're in Kentucky, where they only speak English. Very poorly, but they still speak it," Zoe said. "And if I may point out the obvious again, there's nobody here. And last time I was in Henderson, there were people. And stores. And shops. And street signs."

Luke only half-heard her. He was too amazed at what he was seeing. "I can read it! The sign, I can read it!"

Zoe finally looked at Luke, and then at the sign. " 'C.C's. Opening Soon.' Huh." Zoe looked back at Luke. "I wonder how soon that it."

"Yeah, but what is it? What's opening soon? I've never heard of C.C's." To Luke it sounded like some kind of restaurant. But there was one thing that bugged him.

Zoe talked before he could voice his concern. "The sign's in Ancient Greek. And that means whatever's coming soon probably isn't human." Luke's concerns exactly. "And where did the people go?"

Luke just shook his head. "I don't know."

"And how soon is soon?"

As if to answer her question, the ground started to shake violently. Zoe and Luke were knocked off their feet. Luke could no longer tell which direction was which. He couldn't even tell one color from another. All he knew at that moment was shaking. And it wouldn't stop.

He tried to yell out to Zoe, but his voice caught in his throat. This sudden earthquake was going to be the death of him. He could do nothing. He couldn't even think straight. Then, with as much warning as the earthquake had, Luke knocked his head on the curb of the road, and everything went black.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Luke awoke to something he had never experienced before. Comfort. He was comfortable, besides his throbbing head anyway. Someone was dabbing a wet cloth against his forehead. He opened his eyes, and relief flooded his mind.

"Zoe?" he managed to croak out.

She smiled in reply, but she looked worried. Luke could see it in her eyes that something was wrong. He tried to speak again, but Zoe put a finger on his lips and said, "Sleep." She then waved her free hand over his face and whispered something. Luke could feel his eyelids grow heavy and once again, everything was black.

Zoe watched Luke's eyes close. Once she was sure he was asleep, she laid the wet cloth across his forehead. He was burning up, and was going to have a nasty bump where he hit his head. She leaned back in her chair and took in her surroundings, carefully looking over every nook and cranny, committing it to memory. She did not like where they were staying, and she definitely didn't trust C.C.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The earthquake had stopped as quickly as it came. Except, it brought something along with it. Where there was once nothing there was an elegant marble building. With high pillars, windows with high arches, and doors big enough for a bus to fit in, it was obvious that this was a place of luxury. And Zoe didn't like it one bit.

The beauty of this mysterious building was overpowering, making Zoe want to come closer, maybe even go inside. A moaning is what snapped her out of this trance, and reality hit her like a ton of bricks when she saw Luke's limp body. The left side of his head was covered in blood, so much blood. A small moan escaped his lips again. Zoe scrambled up off the ground and ran towards him.

When she reached him she gingerly tuned his head sideways so she could see the wound better. Trying to keep calm and trying to convince herself that head wounds bleed a lot more than most, she fumbled around in her bag for some nectar. When she finally found it and pulled it out of the bag, she saw that the bottle was empty. The bottle had a hairline crack running along the side, a result of the earthquake.

Zoe threw the bottle as hard as she could at the door of the marble building and watched it shatter as it hit its mark. Cradling Luke's head, she took a rag out of her bag and started to gently dab at the wound. She could feel her eyes and throat burning as she tried to hold back tears. _"Don't be stupid," _she told herself. _"He won't die."_ But holding Luke's lifeless body in her arms and imaging the 'what if' situation couldn't stop the thoughts of being all alone in the world. Every time she finds a friend that she trust, they're taken away. And Luke would join that list.

A hand touched Zoe's shoulder and she jumped, but didn't turn around, keeping her eyes on Luke. A voice behind her gently said, "Come inside child. We can help." Zoe started to turn her head, but stopped. There was something about this voice that she didn't like. A hand grabbed her chin and turned Zoe's head sideways so she was face to face with the speaker.

Zoe was looking into the eyes of a young woman. A beautiful woman at that. She had long, dark hair that was braided down her back. She had stunning green eyes and a petite, but pretty nose. Her smile was kind. "We can help," said the woman again. There was something about the woman's voice that made Zoe want to trust her, listen to her.

"You can help him?" Zoe looked at Luke again and could feel her stomach twist into a knot.

The woman looked at Luke and out of the corner of Zoe's eye she could see the woman's nose wrinkle like she smelled something nasty. But, in a pleasant voice she said, "Of course. But I can do more than that."

"Ok," was all Zoe said.

The woman smiled at Zoe. "Excellent. Now let me introduce myself. I am C.C. And this is my... spa."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Zoe heard the door open behind her and spun around. C.C. And another girl walked in the room. "Oh, relax dear!" C.C. exclaimed. "You're in a spa! This is a place of relaxation and renewal!"

"Well, I don't feel like relaxing at the moment, all I need is-"

C.C cut Zoe off. "And, my, don't you look tense. And dearie, you're hair! You can do so much more with it than just a ponytail! Put a little makeup on you, smooth out the rough edges, put you in a proper outfit. You'll be beautiful dear! Breathtaking! And why wait? We can give you a complete makeover now, free of charge! And I think we'll start with a relaxing mud bath. Come on sweetheart, follow me."

Zoe could feel magic in C.C.'s voice, making her want to come. "Only if you promise me one thing."

"And what is that dear?"

"Make sure nothing bad happens to Luke, and if he wakes up, I want to see him as soon as possible. Ok?"

C.C. smiled. "Why, of course. Now come on, the mud bath is this way." C.C motioned towrds the open door, and with one last look at Luke, Zoe walked out.

"Reyna will show you the way! I'll watch over Luke for you! Have fun!" C.C. called out to Zoe. Then, closing the door gently, C.C. studied the still unconscious Luke with a look of disapproval. "Now... What to do with you, hmm?" C.C. said to Luke. She mocked a face of realization. "Oh, I know! It will be a pity, though, wasting such a pretty face. But I think you'll get along with the other guinea pigs. You have no other choice."

"_Circe will have to be stopped. I'm too close to victory to be thwarted by a mere sorceress."_

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**I apologize for the Kentucky joke, if anybody was extremely offended by it. But you guys are cool, right? Anyway, please leave your thoughts, praises, concerns, and/or ideas in a review! To be continued...**


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